Sentient Life on the Third Rock

2006-08-14 Adventures in International Business Travel

actually have something good to say about the US Government for a change.  I am happy to report that I received a phone call from the American Consulate in Toronto this morning saying that the State Department had reversed their previous decision and agreed to give me a 10-year passport renewal after all (I guess the squeaky wheel gets the oil).  While I have made more than 500 international trips over the past 20 years, apparently I have been under a veil of suspicion after losing 3-4 passports.  So be advised, the State Department does not think highly of the loss of travel documents.

2005-11-15 Jordan, 11/11

s most of you are now aware, I was in the Grand Hyatt in Amman, Jordan on the night of the recent bombing [1].  I have been in the process of moving to Canada so I haven't had time to write about this tragic event before now. 

It was just before 9:00 PM on November 11th.  I was in my room on the third floor (#329).  I had just received room service and had sat down at the edge of my bed for my evening meal.  All of a sudden I heard an enormous bang and the whole building shook and shuddered.  I knew immediately what it was--a bomb.  I looked out my window and I could see a cloud of smoke rising up from the pool area just below.  Across the court yard there were people now streaming out of the building's emergency exits.  Then the fire alarm went off.  Moments later I could hear someone giving instructions over the hotel's public address system.  It was most likely English but in such a heavy Arabic accent that I couldn't quite make it out.  Seconds ticked by like minutes as thoughts raced through my head.

I can't remember now the chain of logical inference, but I decided that I should leave the building--after all, it could have been on fire as far as I knew.  The next big question was what to take.  Time was of the essence.  I threw on my clothes from earlier, grabbed my backpack and the essentials:

• laptop and charger
• passport (in the safe)
• wallet
• cell phone and charger

Cautiously I opened the door into the hallway.  Immediately I saw what appeared to be a hotel employee running towards me.  As he ran by, he told me to follow him.  We entered the stairwell and proceeded down towards the basement.  I could see blood splattered on the steps as we descended.  The gravity of the situation began to set in.  My heart was beating at a thousand miles per hour as I nervously surveyed my surroundings.  We came out of the building through the sub-basement loading dock.  The employee that I was following disappeared into what was now a large crowd of bystanders outside.

I asked a couple of western-looking people what was going on.  No one seemed to have any idea.  I decided that standing there among throngs of mostly western people was not such a good idea so I started walking away from the crowd.  I hailed a taxi and told the driver to take me to the Marriott hotel where my other co-workers were staying.  Almost immediately we came upon a police road block.  Not having any idea really I told the driver to go the airport.  The telephone system was working erratically but SMS's seemed to be getting through.  I texted my friend Andrew Wisnia at the Marriott that I was heading to the airport.

The cab driver was taking the back roads to avoid road blocks.  As we drove along he was listening to Arabic-language radio.  He told me about first one and then another hotel being bombed.  I became more and more concerned.  We arrived at the airport and there was already a queue at the checkpoint.  As we waited, new police cars arrived from the terminal building as well as a huge line of cars behind us.  We reached the checkpoint and the guard told the driver (in Arabic) that the airport was now closed.

The driver started back for the city.  Now I was really concerned.  I mean I knew I couldn't go back to my hotel room and I couldn't go to the Marriott.  After a while, I no longer knew where I was and I told the driver to just pull over.  He offered that I could stay at his house with his family.  I did not even consider that.  I was still text messaging with the guys at the Marriott and now with the office in Dublin.  Eventually I got the phone call.  It was Shukri Atari, another employee who lives in Dubai.  He was instructing me to go to his family's home in Amman for the evening until we could sort things out.  He gave the directions to the driver in Arabic and in no time at all I was in the safety of his parent's luxurious villa.  His sister Haneen and a family friend met me at the door.  I went inside, sat down and cried.

It turns out that Shukri's brother Ahmad was also injured in the attack.  He was attending a medical conference at one of the hotels.  He had gone to the hospital with the body of an Iraqi physician who was killed there.  Haneen brought me some tea and sandwiches and showed me to my room.

The next morning I woke up as Haneen was going to the hospital to see Ahmad.  Her aunt was there now and made me eat some breakfast.  It is hard to describe in words the civility and hospitality of the Atari family.  They are, in short, some of the most civilized, intelligent and generous people I have met in my entire life.  I recall a story that Andrew told me about being invited for dinner at the Atari's.  As the guests were leaving, Mr. Atari cut a single flower from the fragrant trees surrounding the front entrance to give to each person.  Simply classic.

As the day unfolded, Atari family and friends started to gather in the villa.  Eventually, a relative took me back to the Hyatt to collect my belongings (they had packed everything and brought my bags to the Hyatt Apartments next door to the now empty hotel.)  When I arrived backed at the house, a lunch feast had already been prepared for me and Ahmad who had just returned from the hospital.  The meal included traditional Palestinian Maqloobeh of chicken, lamb, eggplant and rice (also known as Upside Down).  They were kind enough to give me the family recipe (which I will post on this blog soon) and I promised I would one day return to Jordan and make it for them (after I have perfected my technique!)  I want to thank the entire Atari family for everything they have done for me.

Above: The Grand Hyatt Amman, the day after the bombing

Above: One of the many spontaneous protests by Jordanians against the hotel bombings.

Above: The feast at the Atari's villa.  Haneen is serving Ahmad and myself.  Ahmad was injured in the attack.

Above: My co-workers Andrew, Amir and Zach at the Marriott just before I left for the airport on Friday.  Zach lost relatives in the attack.

Above: A road sign on the highway to the Queen Alia International Airport in Amman.

2005-11-10 Hotel Bombings, Amman, Jordan

My hotel, the Grand Hyatt in Amman, Jordan was bombed last night [1].  Fortunately, I was in my room on the third floor when the bomb went off in the lobby.  I can only thank God that I am fine--shaken--but fine.  Many people were killed and injured.  I am staying with the family of another co-worker whose brother was injured in the attack.  I hope to leave for home as soon as possible I love you all

-Frederick

2005-10-15 It's Official--Canuckistan here we come!

Soviet Canucks!
Leaving Ireland for good.
Will we find our home?

Well it's official--Jinny and I are off to Soviet Canuckistan, errr, I mean Canada next month.  I have a mixture of feelings about the move--paying 46% marginal tax rates will not be fun!  But in the end I knew that we really wouldn't have to decide whether to stay or go.  I knew that the right choice would become inescapably obvious and it has.  I believe Canada will offer us options and opportunities that we could never have had in Korea, Ireland or the US.  I look forward to settling down to build a home and a family.  I also look forward to being closer to my friends and family in the US.  Well there will be a lot more on all of this soon.  In the mean time, I am off to Indonesia (Jakarta) next week.  Enjoy you weekend and wish us well!

2005-06-04 Ireland, Israel and the IRA

Soccer or Football?
Potato and Tomato.
Who will play Israel?

The Republic of Ireland was left frustrated on Saturday night finishing 2-all in a draw with Israel at the famous Lansdowne Road stadium in a World Cup qualifier in Dublin (1).  Lansdowne Road is where Irish rugby and international soccer matches are played.

Above: Lansdowne Road, Dublin, Ireland

As might have been expected, there was a Pro-Palestine rally organized by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and Sinn Féin in downtown Dublin.  Sinn Féin is the political arm of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) umbrella of paramilitary groups.  After the rally, protesters marched to the Israeli Embassy down the street from Lansdowne Road.  I rode my bike over just to take a few photos.

Above: I just loved this photo.

Above: Some Israelis showed up to voice their opinion on the subject.  After a brief scuffle, they were escorted away by police.